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Profile: Maurice Vernon, Boot Camp for New Dads Facilitator

In practically all facets of his life, Maurice Vernon strives to be “Super Dad”, not just to his own children, but as a model to the countless fathers he reaches with his message of positive, nurturing fatherhood. As the Facilitator of Champions for Children’s Boot Camp for New Dadsprogram, Maurice brings a unique perspective and a wealth of knowledge and experience to both the program he leads and our services for fathers and father figures at-large.

Well before joining CFC as a Facilitator, Maurice understood the effectiveness of Boot Camp for New Dads. As a father of four, Maurice has been through the Boot Camp curriculum several times, both as a participant and as a “Veteran” dad showing other soon-to-be fathers the ropes. So when he learned there was an opening for someone to steer the program, he saw a chance to magnify his impact on local dads.

Although his background is originally in business and sports, Maurice has since dedicated his life to championing dads and families. Taking up the “Super Dad” persona (complete with a face mask an blue spandex), Maurice speaks to fathers throughout the nation, encouraging them to be “super” by maintaining an active role in their children’s lives and working with their parenting partner to raise a happy, healthy family. Outside of his role at CFC, Maurice and his wife Alayna operate their own nonprofit, Joining Together Eliminating Poverty. Through their organization, they have spearheaded a variety of local initiatives, including Dads Take Tampa—a series of annual father-focused events—as well as the first diaper pantry in Tampa.

To Maurice, the true value of Boot Camp for New Dads lies in its dual role as both a source of knowledge for new dads and a way to quickly build confidence in the run-up to new fatherhood. In particular, he says the program helps alleviate the fears that many first-time dads have, all while instilling the idea that when it comes to parenting, there’s always more to learn. “The way I see it, no matter how experienced you are, if you’re a parent and you think you know everything, you’re wrong,” he said.

In the coming year, Maurice hopes to implement ideas inspired by his own experiences to truly take Champions’ father & father figure services to the next level. Realizing that sports are a shared passion for many fathers, he plans to reach out to recent fathers in the ranks of Tampa’s local sports teams to serve as role models for local fathers. He also hopes to begin offering ongoing social support groups for alumni of the Boot Camp classes as they continue in their parenting journey.

“Today, people want to be a part of something larger, whether it’s a class, a club, or a family,” he said.

Through his leadership and dedication, Maurice is an invaluable member of both the Champions for Children family and the Tampa Bay parenting community. We’re thrilled to welcome him aboard as we work together to grow and elevate our services for fathers.